Gauging and sampling well for vessels



- ZSnnentor Mamas W J/ewarfi/r J. w. STEWART, JR

GAUGING AND SAMPLING WELL FOR VESSELS Filed June 26, 1950 Nov. 27, 195] (ittomegs Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAUGING AND SAMPLING WELL FOR VESSELS James W. Stewart, Jr., Dinuba, Calif Application June 26, 1950, Serial No. 170,280 8 Claims. (01. 220-45) back into the liquid. Since these vapors are valuable, it is desirable to prevent their escape when gauging depth of the liquid and takin samples thereof. These operations are eiiected through a thief hatch that is normally closed, but which must be opened for gauging and thiefing pur poses with the result that the accumulated va pors escape through the hatch. The vapors are not only'lost', but being highly inflammable, serious fires and explosions may result. I v It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide such tanks or vessels with a gauging and thiefing well that is normally in connection with the vapor and liquidcontaining portions of the vessel when the hatch is closed to permit filling and equalization of pressures, and which is provided with means for closing said connections when the hatch is opened thereby preventing escape of the vapors.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a gauging and thiefing well that is of simple construction, positive in operation, and which permits accurate gauging and sampling of the liquid. -In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as is hereinafter pointed out, I

have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one side of a vessel or tank equipped with a gauging and thiefing well embodying the features of the present invention, the hatch being closed and the valve collars in position for opening the inlet ports to the Well.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the gauging and thiefing well, the hatch cover being shown in an open position and the valve collars in closing relation with the inlet ports.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through the gauging and thiefing hatch showing the lugs thereon depressing the valve collar assembly from covering relation with the inlet ports.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a vessel such as a stock tank for containing liquid hydro-carbon indicated at 2,

which is flowed into the tank from the gather ing lines leading from one or more producing wells. Such tanks include an annular wall 3, a closed bottom i, and a top 5, which is provided with a gauging and thiefing hatch B. The hatch E3 includes a collar "i that encircles an opening 8 in the top 5 and is provided with an annular flange 9 for-seating a cover Hi. The cover It! is'connected with the collar 1 by a hinge H and is retained in closed position on the flange 9 by a latch iii. A suitable gasket 53 is provided within an annular groove 14 in the under side of the cover as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the liquid hydro-carbon contained in a tank is to be discharged into a purchaser's pipe line, it is necessary for the gauger to open the hatch and gauge the depth of the liquid hydrocarbon so that the volume of oil in the tank may be calculated. It is also necessary to obtain samples of the liquid at different elevations within the tank to determine the quality of the liquid.

Prior to the present invention, opening of the hatch resulted in loss of the vapors contained in the vapor space l5 provided in the upper portion of the tank. This is accomplished by providing the vessel with a gauging and thiefing well Hi which comprises a tubular pipe or duct I! having its upper end mounted within the opening 8 and its lower end depending to near the bottom l. The upper end of the pipe is connected with the roof 5 and/or hatch collar I so as to form a seal with respect to the vapor space it while the lower end of the pipe is supported from the side wall 3 by a bracket arm l8. The

bracket arm I8 is connected with a coupling I9 that may be threaded or other wise attached to the lower end of the pipe as indicated at 2fl and which preferably carries a closure cap 2! so as to form a bottom for the well. In the illustrated instance, the closure cap is shown as connected with the coupling by a threaded connection 22 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. p

The well is thus vertically supported within the tank in axial alignment with the opening 8 of the hatch collar so that when the hatch cover is open, the hatch and thiefing operations may be carried on within the well. In order to fill the well with the liquid in the vessel and establish like conditions therein, the pipe I! is provided with vertically spaced series of inlet openings 23, 24, 25, and 25, each series of openings being arranged circumferentially in the pipe.

It isobvious that the liquid entering the vessel will also fill the well so that the accumulating liquid within the well will have the same characteristics as the liquid at corresponding levels within the tank. Therefore, sampling the liquid from the well gives the same samples as if they were taken directly from the liquid in the vessel. The upper series of inlet openings which are in connection with the vapor space of the vessel also allow for equalization of pressures in the vessel for maintaining the same hydro-static level so that the gauging may be accurately carried on within the well.

To prevent loss of Vapor through the inlet openings that are in connection with the vapor space IS, the pipe I! is provided with valves which are shown in the form of collars 21, 28, 29, and that are slidable on the pipe and which are retained in a spaced relation corresponding to spacing of the series of ports by means of tie rods 31. Each collar is preferably of substantial channel-shaped cross section to provide a web portion 32 that encircles the inlet openings of a respective series of inlet ports and to provide circumferential flanges 33 and 34 for connection of the tie rods 3|. The ends of the tie rods may extend through openings 35 of the flanges and are connected therewith by nuts 36 and 31 that are threaded on the ends of the rods and retained in clamped contact with the respective sides of the flanges as best shown in Fig. 2.

When thus connected, the valve collars are adapted to be moved as a unit into and out of closing relation with the inlet ports responsive to action of a spring 38 upon opening and closing of the hatch cover 6. The spring 38 is shown as coiled about the pipe H and has one end engaging a stop 39 and its upper end seating against the flange 34 of for example the lower valve collar 39 as shown in Fig. 2 so that the spring supports the collars in closing relation with the respective series of inlet ports when the hatch cover is open.

In order to move the collars in opposition to the coil spring 38 and eifect opening of the inlet ports when the hatch is closed, the upper flange 33 of the uppermost valve collar 21 carries pins 40 and 4| that are connected similarly to the tie rods and which are slidably supported in openings 42 and 43 of the hatch collar 1 as shown in Fig. 2. The pins are of a length to project a suflicient distance above the seating flange 9 so that when the cover In is closed the pins are engaged thereby and moved downwardly to shift the valve collars from covering relations with the inlet ports as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, when the hatch is closed, the ports provide connections between the interior of the vessel and the well to assure filling of the well with liquid corresponding with the liquid in the vessel and maintenance of the same hydro-static head.

In gauging a tank equipped with gauging and sampling well constructed and assembled as described, the hatch cover I0 is opened. During opening of the hatch, the spring 38 acting under the flange 34 of the collar 30 eifects movement of all the valve collars in closing relation with the inlet ports so that the liquid in the well is isolated from the liquid and vapor space within the vessel. Closure of the inlet openings that are in connection with the vapor space prevents loss of any vapors through the hatch opening while the gauging and sampling is being effected. In gauging the liquid a suitable gauge rod is lowered through the hatch and into the liquid trapped within the well to obtain the height of the liquid in the tank. With this height and knowing the capacity of the tank and displacements therein, the quantity of liquid may be readily calculated. If samples of the liquid are required, they may be taken by lowering a sampler through the open hatch and taking samples at the desired levels in accordance with the usual practice. After the sampling or gauging operations are completed, the open hatch cover is swung to a closed position to efiect simultaneous movement of the valve collars into uncovering relation with the inlet ports to the well.

It is obvious that openings may be provided to allow inlet of tank fluids into the well at any level and the number of series and size may be changed to suit the particular vessel and sampling practices and the type of fluids normally collected in the vessel.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple and relatively inexpensive apparatus through which a liquid containing vessel may be gauged or samples taken without permitting loss of any of the vapor accumulated within the vapor space of the vessel.

I claim:

1. In a vessel for containing a volatile liquid and having a hatch forming a gauging and sampling opening and provided with a cover for closing said opening, a vertical duct within the vessel and having connection with the hatch, said duct having a lateral port in connection with vapor space in said vessel and having a lower inlet for admitting liquid from the vessel into said vertical duct, a valving member for the lateral port, and means for shifting the valving member relatively to said lateral port responsive to opening and closing of the hatch cover.

2. In a vessel for containing a, volatile liquid having a hatch collar forming a gauging and sampling opening and provided with a cover for closing said opening, a tube connected with the hatch collar and depending within the vessel, said tube having a lateral port in connection with vapor space in said vessel and having a lower inlet for admitting liquid from the vessel, a valving member for the lateral port, and means connected with the valving member and slidable through the hatch collar for engagement by the hatch cover when the cover is closed for retaining the valving member out of closing relation with the lateral port.

3. In a vessel for containing a volatile liquid and having a hatch forming a gauging and sampling opening and provided with a cover for closing said opening, a tube depending from the hatch opening into said vessel and having vertically spaced series of lateral ports in connection with the vessel for admitting liquid and vapor to said tube, valving members for said ports, means inter-connecting the valving members, and means connected with the valving members and engageable by the cover for shifting the valving members relatively to said ports responsive to the movement of the cover.

4. A gaugin and sampling well for vessels containing volatile liquids including a tube adapted for vertical support in a vessel and having an open upper end and provided with inlet ports arranged at different levels along the height of said tube, valving members, means movably supporting the valving members for movement to and from said ports, means for shifting the valving members in a direction to close said ports, a hatch at the upper end of the tube having a cover for closing the open upper end of the tube, and means connected with the valving members and engageable with the cover for shifting the valving members from covering relation with said ports when the cover is closed.

5. A gauging and sampling well for vessels containing volatile liquids including a tube adapted for vertical support in the vessel and having an open upper end and provided with vertically spaced inlet ports, valving collars having sliding support on the tube to open and close said ports, tie rods connecting the valving collars, a coil spring on said tube having one end engaging one of the valving members to normally retain the valving collars in closing relation with said ports, a hatch at the upper end of the tube having a cover for closing said open upper end, and means between the upper valve collar and the hatch cover for shifting the valve collars out of covering relation with said ports when the hatch cover is closed.

6. A gauging and sampling well for vessels containing volatile liquids including a tube adapted for vertical support in the vessel and having an open upper end and provided with vertically spaced inlet ports, valving collars having sliding support on the tube, tie members inter-connecting the valving collars to provide a shiftable unit, a coil spring engaging said unit to normally retain the unit in position for the valving collars to close said ports, a hatch at the upper end of the tube having a cover for closing said open upper end, and means connected with said unit and having support in the hatch to be engaged by said cover when the cover is moved to closing position for shifting the valving collars out of covering relation with said ports.

7. In a vessel for containing a volatile liquid and having a hatch forming a gauging and sampling opening and provided with a cover for closing said opening, a tube depending within the hatch opening and having lateral ports in connection with the vessel for admitting liquid and vapor to said tube, a bracket carried by a wall of the tank for supporting the lower end of the tube, valving members for said ports, means inter-connecting the valving members, and means connected with the valving members and engageable by the cover for shifting the valving members out of covering relation with said ports when the cover is closed.

8. In a vessel for containing a volatile liquid and having a hatch forming a gauging and sampling opening and provided with a cover for closing said opening, a tube depending within the hatch opening and having lateral ports in connection with the vessel for admitting liquid and Vapor to said tube, a bracket carried by a wall .of the tank for supporting the lower end of the tube, valving members for said ports, means inter-connecting the valving members, means connected with the valving members and engageable by the cover for shifting the valving memhers out of covering relation with said ports when the cover is closed, and a spring for moving the valving members into closing relation to said ports when the cover is opened.

JAMES W. STEWART, JR.

No references cited. 

